Heart's Facade
by Shayken Destiny
Summary: Set just after the series. All throughout Trigun, Meryl hits Vash, whether she is annoyed with him or just can't deal with her own emotions. What happens when Meryl hits him one too many times? Bad summary, I know, but PLEASE R & R! Rated for angsty-ness.


Shayken Destiny: Yay! I've done it, I tell you! I've finally written a Trigun story!!! (up till now I've only done poems)

Shayken Destiny: Of course you have to be in it!!! Why would I write a story and not put you in it?! There's you, and Meryl, and Millie . . . but mostly you and Meryl!

Vash: Gah!!! That's so cold. u.u

Shayken Destiny: Well, here goes! Vash, would you do the disclaimer?

Vash: No.

Shayken Destiny: -.- Fine, I'll give you a donut if you do it.

Vash: REALLY?! Okay!!! ShaykenDestinydoesnotownTrigunorthecharactersoranythingrelatedtoitexceptfortwoCDsandaVashplushieandsomedrawingsshemadenowwhere'smydonut?!

Shayken Destiny: -sigh- Here you go.

Vash: YAY!!!!!!!

**

* * *

Chapter 1**

Unhindered by clouds, the twin suns burned white scars deep into the azure sky, mercilessly spreading a blanket of searing heat over the two travelers foolish enough to be out alone in the desert. However, only one of them was actually moving. His blonde hair shone gold in the blinding light as he resolutely strode forwards. Dust swirled up from his feet, rippling the scarlet coat that hung folded over one arm as beads of sweat rolled down his forehead and dripped off his chin, staining his black clothes. Unmistakable aquamarine eyes surveyed the cracked, sand-swept ground he walked over, always searching the distant horizon. With his brother Knives slung over one shoulder, he struggled on over the seemingly endless desert. Vash the Stampede was coming home.

"Huh . . . huh . . . huh . . ." he gasped. Heat waves danced before his eyes, and he resisted the urge to stop and rest. Grinning, he began talking to himself. "Taking a rest won't help anything, that's for sure. If I stop, I may never get up again!"

The burden of his brother wasn't helping matters either. Despite his uncommon strength, Knives seemed to weigh more heavily on Vash's shoulder with every mile. Vash had bandaged his brother as best he could, only using what was left over to care for his own wounds. The pain still gnawed at him with every step he took, but he was learning to ignore it.

"I wonder if that's a good thing?" wondered Vash aloud. "Ah, what I wouldn't give for a donut . . . ."

**_-$$-_**

Meryl Stryfe sat perched upon a well-worn chair, staring out the window. She absently shuffled the stack of office papers sitting in her lap and began picking at the paint pealing off the chair.

_I really should repaint this,_ she told herself. Looking around, she surveyed the sparse room with disdain. Bare walls gazed bleakly back at her from all sides. _Or at least do something about the walls . . . ._

Millie's voice almost made her jump out of her seat.

"Meryl?" called Millie from downstairs. "We need more water from the well!"

Meryl sighed as she left off picking at the paint and began reorganizing her stack of papers again. "I know, Millie! Would you go get some?"

"I really think _you_ should, Meryl," replied Millie, coming up the stairs. "You haven't been out of the house lately. It will give you something to do so you stop sitting in this room fretting about Mr. Vash."

Meryl quickly turned to look at her partner standing in the doorway of her room.

"I am _not_ 'fretting' about him! I don't even care if he comes back at all!" she said sharply, standing up from her chair so abruptly that she knocked the flimsy piece of furniture over. "I simply have not felt like going outside in this wretched heat. Besides, I'm busy. Look at all this work I have to do," concluded Meryl, punctuating each sentence with a wave of the papers she held.

Millie stepped into the room and picked up the fallen chair. Setting it right side up, she turned towards her partner and smiled. "Have you been picking at the chair again, Meryl?" she asked serenely.

"Huh? Wha . . . no! I have _not_ been picking at the chair! I've _never_ done that!

Whatever gave you that idea?!" stammered Meryl, feeling the heat creeping up the back of her neck.

Millie continued to stand in place, staring at her partner with the same all-knowing expression on her face. Finally Meryl sighed, signifying her defeat.

"Okay, you win," she said heavily. "I'd much rather stay inside where it's cool than go traipsing out in this heat, but since you won't give me any peace, I may as well go and get the water now that I'm up."

Meryl stalked out the door, pausing only to thrust the papers into Millie's hands. Grumbling to herself, she stomped down the stairs and snatched up the two empty buckets on the floor, leaving Millie behind holding a stack of papers– all of them blank. Her smile faded.

"Oh, Meryl," she sighed, fingers involuntarily tightening; creases spread across the papers' white surfaces like cracks in a crumbling wall.

The old wooden porch creaked under her white boots as Meryl stepped outside and carefully closed the door. She fastened the last strip on the white cloak which she, out of habit, had grabbed just before going out the door. Making her way down the front steps, she began the walk into town.

The well was not far from the house she and Millie had rented on the outskirts of the small, quiet town. Millie had insisted that they stay there in order to keep an eye out for the return of 'Mr. Vash.'

_Speaking of which, where is that spiky-headed idiot, _wondered Meryl. _What in the world is taking him so long?! Is he . . . is he not coming back?_

"Rrrr!" she growled in exasperation as she reached the well. "Anything could have happened and I wouldn't even know it!"

Unwinding the string that held the drawing pail in place, she lowered it into the deep well, filling it to the brim with cool, crystal-clear water. Sipping a little from the pail to refresh herself from her hot, dusty walk, she poured the remainder into her two buckets.

Straightening up, Meryl wiped the sweat from her face with her sleeve, picked up the now-full buckets, and began her trip back. The task done, her mind returned to its previous thoughts concerning a certain blonde. _Still . . . what if he didn't win against Knives? What if he's . . . he's . . . _She couldn't bear to bring herself to even think the word. Before she could finish the sentence, the house rose up suddenly in front of her, and she quickly went under the overhang, glad to be out of the sun. Millie came out to meet her on the porch.

"Whew, it's hot," breathed Meryl.

"Yep, I wouldn't want to be out there!" exclaimed Millie, taking a bucket from Meryl. "It's almost noon, and there's no shade at all."

She went inside the house to empty her bucket, but Meryl hung back at the entrance, turning around to peer up at the sky with shielded eyes. The two suns seemed to grin as they blazed back at her in all their glory.

"Hottest part of the day," murmured Meryl and followed her partner into the house.

* * *

Shayken Destiny: So, what do you think? Is it interesting?

Vash: No comment.

Shayken Destiny: -.-; I wasn't asking you! Ignore him. He's in one of those moods. Anyways, please review and tell me what you think of it!!!! If you review, Vash gets donuts!

Vash: DONUTS?! O.O What are you waiting for?! Hurry up and review!!!!!!


End file.
